We all know that relationships between parents and their children are not always a walk in the park. In fact, some relationships fall completely apart if not nurtured properly, and sometimes this can affect the rest of the family.

We’ve come to know Jairos’ relationship with Nguzu, his father, as a bittersweet one. One minute they are laughing and doing things together, and the next minute they are at each other’s throats for various petty things. It’s enough to make anyone go crazy, but we can relate. 

As the parent, Nguzu must be the one who guides and steers his relationship with his son. With this in mind, we thought to look into what makes the ideal father-son relationship succeed. Who knows? Maybe it can help a father-son relationship you know about.

A good father should always be mindful of the following:

Set a good example:

Believe it or not, the first impression of a good man comes from a father. The son learns how to be a man from his father, so it is very important for the father to set a good example. Nguzu might be a lot of things, but do you think he sets a good example for Jairos?

Spend time together:

Working together and spending quality father-son time together are two different things. Just because they are always together doesn’t mean Jairos and his father do or talk about the things that concern them as men, and as a family. But with Nguzu as a father, not everyone would be brave enough to open up. Let’s not event mention Nguzu opening up and sharing his feelings with his son. Do they even have common interests?

Listen to your child:

This one would be a bit difficult for Nguzu because he’s the type of Alpha male that doesn’t consider the thoughts of a child too much. But nothing is impossible – and if Jairos was brave enough to talk to his father about his feelings, Nguzu would be sure to listen. Sometimes, even reaching out to a mutual person to mediate helps a lot, just to get the conversation going without any glitches, such as anger and resentment.

As much as relationships can’t be perfect, the amount of work put towards them allows us to reap the benefits of time invested. Yes, relationships are hard work, but they are worth it when they work well. 

Tell us a few stories of father-son or father-daughter relationships that are around you, as well as how they are going. We’d love to hear from you.

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